Queen is Dead - A Film, TV and Culture Podcast

In this annual year-end episode, Dhruv and Sanjeet welcome three returning guests -- Devi (@film.trance), Adithiyan (@curioseradithiyan), and Yadhu (@immersive_cinema) -- to discuss each of thier top 5 favorite Indian films (best is only for the title, it's always subjective!) from the past year. These include films from all Woods - Bolly, Tolly, Kolly, Molly!

TIME CODES

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast

Adithiyan: https://www.instagram.com/curioseradithiyan/

Yadhu: https://www.instagram.com/immersive_cinema/

Adithiyan: https://letterboxd.com/curioseradi/

Yadhu: https://letterboxd.com/dehosure/

Sanjeet - https://letterboxd.com/sanjeet_singh/

In this very special episode specifically designed to counteract the negativity spread by two QID members on our YouTube Livestream, Dhruv and Aryan — two self-proclaimed Hiranites — talk about the director’s pre-“Dunki” and “Sanju” output to celebrate his contribution to contemporary Indian cinema. Aryan does bring up “Dunki” sadly to begin our discussion. But we swiftly move away from it to discuss the gloriously heartwarming, crowd-pleasing pleasures of the Munnabhai films, “3 Idiots,” and “PK.”

Dhruv: https://www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Dhruv: https://letterboxd.com/aterminalcinema/

Aryan: https://letterboxd.com/aryantalksfilms/

Taking a cue from recent Bollywood releases, we have decided to leave our latest episode unedited. So get ready for the most extensive discussion on Sandeep Reddy Vanga's hollow provocations in "Animal," the most accurate Sanjeet impression (courtesy Aryan) as we collectively gush about Vidhu Vinod Chopra's uplifting "12th Fail," and the most detailed breakdown of Meghna Gulzar's insipid "Sam Bahadur" by a podcast regular who has a personal connection with the subject matter.

Providing necessary order to this otherwise chaotic discussion between four men about three Bollywood men is another QID regular -- Ahendrila. Extending our discussion beyond the text, she helps us situate the role these films play (and will continue to play) within the broader socio-political Indian context. You can guess which film is talked about most here. But, we promise the "Animal" fans that there is a dedicated attempt to also pick out positives in a film that largely didn't work for any of us.

Do listen to the full, spoiler-filled episode to hear our detailed thoughts on all three films!

TIME CODES

Introduction - [00:00 - 04:30]

"Animal" (2023) - [04:31 - 01:03:55]

"12th Fail" (2023) - [01:03:56 - 01:34:04]

Ahendrila Asks - [01:34:05 - 01:53:03]

"Sam Bahadur" (2023) - [01:53:04 - 02:49:30]

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Varun: https://www.instagram.com/cinephilestock/

Varun: https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/

Away from MAMI contamination, Dhruv and Sanjeet invite Varun and Hemanth to discuss "Killers of the Flower Moon" in full. Everything from specific problems with perspectives to why those problems are not actually major problems are discussed and debated here.

Do listen to the full episode to get a detailed breakdown of what we thought of the film's narrative choices, lead performances, and Martin Scorsese's special appearance!

Do hit 'Follow' on Spotify if you haven't already to help the podcast reach more people!

Follow our Instagram page:

https://instagram.com/queenisdead.filmpodcast  

Dhruv: https: //www.instagram.com/terminalcinema/

Sanjeet: https: //www.instagram.com/pixel_baba/

Varun: https://www.instagram.com/cinephilestock/

Sanjeet: https://letterboxd.com/sanjeet_singh/

Varun: https://letterboxd.com/varunoakbhakay/

In this unexpectedly topical (it's Noirvemeber!) episode, the QID gang talks about the recently released David Fincher film on Netflix -- "The Killer," starring Michael Fassbender. Rather than just talk about what we liked and disliked about the film, we use its release to look back at the neo-noir film that continues to inspire auteur-driven assassin projects -- Jean Pierre Melville's "Le Samouraï" (1967).

Listen to the full episode to -- first -- hear Amartya geek out about neo-noir films, especially Le Samouraï; Dhruv, Aryan, and Sanjeet -- for the most part -- follow suit. Then listen to Amartya freak out about "The Killer," something Dhruv, Aryan, and Sanjeet are themselves split on.

Discussion for "The Killer" and "Le Samouraï" includes spoilers.

TIME CODES

INTRODUCTION — [00:00-05:38]

NEO-NOIR & LE SAMOURAÏ — [05:39 - 43:30]

THE KILLER — [43:31 - 01:38:48]

SOCIAL MEDIA STUFF

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In QID’s second in-person recorded episode, Sanjeet, Aryan and Dhruv talk about what all they watched (and stupidly missed) on Day 2 & 3 of MAMI.Short, non-spoilery discussions on “Anatomy of a Fall,” “Green Border,” “Stolen,” and “Maestro.”

Long, non-spoilery discussion on Anurag Kashyap’s “Kennedy.”

Also, featuring a one-sided argument about why watching films on a laptop is better than watching films at the NMACC from the Balcony.

Chapters

Intro — [00:00-3:30]

Anatomy of a Fall — [03:30-10:20]

Dhruv on "Green Border" & "Maestro — [10:20-19:20]

Aryan & Sanjeet on "Stolen" — [19:20-27:15]

Kennedy (No Spoilers!!) — [27:15-59:40]

Outro — [59:40-1:04:45]

Social -

In QID’s first in-person recorded episode, Sanjeet, Aryan, and Dhruv talk about their film festival experiences, why MAMI provides ammunition for the “Cinema is Dead” argument, and their non-spoilery thoughts on the first films they watched at MAMI.

(Sanjeet and Aryan decided to include “Killers of the Flower Moon” as part of the discussion. That’s what we debate about most in the episode.)

Listen to the full non-spoiler episodes to also hear our thoughts about Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Evil Does Not Exist, But Boredom Does.”

Chapters

MAMI Experience — [00:00-4:00]

Festival Experiences — [04:00-25:00]

“Killers of the Flower Moon” — [25:00-01:00:00]

“MAMI Day 1 Movies” — [01:00:00-01:26:07]

Social -